http://driving.caThe leading online destination for the latest automotive news, reviews, photos and video for Canadians. Driving's team of award-winning journalists publishes original, fresh content in print, online, on smartphone and tablet.Fri, 09 Dec 2016 23:14:51 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/http://0.gravatar.com/blavatar/ee14d0ead2dd0785092fc06583853ed4?s=96&d=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngNew and Used Car Reviews, Comparisons and News | Drivinghttp://driving.caAston Martin is bringing back the DB4 GT – and it’s not cheaphttp://driving.ca/aston-martin/auto-news/news/aston-martin-is-bringing-back-the-db4-gt-and-its-not-cheap/http://driving.ca/aston-martin/auto-news/news/aston-martin-is-bringing-back-the-db4-gt-and-its-not-cheap/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 22:51:40 +0000http://driving.ca/?p=277657]]>Classic cars are simply the best cars. How else can you explain Jaguar, and now Aston Martin, bringing back continuation versions of their most famous classics?

The DB4 GT was Aston Martin’s most beautiful and winning car of the early 1960s. Introduced in 1959, the original 75 DB4 GTs racked up an impressive collection of racing victories and now, the British automaker is building another 25 DB4 GT lightweights (only eight of those were built originally) out of its Newport Pagnell facility.

The cost? Just $2.5 million Canadian. Yet even if you had a few million to spare, every single one has already been spoken for.

Critically, the cars deviate from the original by having enlarged 4.1-litre straight-six engines compared to the original 3.7L units. This enlargement raises horsepower to 330. That said, they’re still being made by hand-beating aluminum over a tubular steel chassis like the old days. But with no emissions equipment or airbags, these cars are being sold for track use only.

What great car would you like to see a manufacturer bring back next?

]]>http://driving.ca/aston-martin/auto-news/news/aston-martin-is-bringing-back-the-db4-gt-and-its-not-cheap/feed/0db4-gt_continuation_03mrclaytonseamsSir Stirling Moss races an Aston Martin DB4 GT in Goodwood, West Sussex, England, on April 18, 1960.GM’s turbodiesel engine officially joins 2017 Chevy Cruze lineuphttp://driving.ca/chevrolet/cruze/auto-news/news/gms-turbodiesel-engine-officially-joins-2017-chevy-cruze-lineup/http://driving.ca/chevrolet/cruze/auto-news/news/gms-turbodiesel-engine-officially-joins-2017-chevy-cruze-lineup/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 18:35:59 +0000http://driving.ca/?p=277592]]>For all you Volkswagen Golf and Jetta TDI owners out there who still love their cars for the fuel economy and torque, Chevrolet is coming for you with an all-new Cruze Diesel.

Starting early 2017, you’ll be able to pick up a Chevy Cruze – powered by a 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine also set to appear in the 2018 Equinox – for $24,095. That’s the price tag for the base diesel sedan; a hatchback is also in the cards, but pricing for that model hasn’t been announced just yet.

Both the diesel sedan and hatch will be available with either a six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic transmission, but exact output and fuel economy figures are still under wraps. For what it’s worth, the diesel Equinox is powered by the same engine and puts out 136 horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. of torque, and the Cruze Diesel hatchback is expected to punch in around 50 mpg.

As for equipment, don’t expect it to differ much from the standard Cruze – goodies such as Chevy’s MyLink infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus on-board 4G LTE WiFi, heated seats and a backup camera, will be standard.

Starting at $48,995, the base Giulia features a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder under the hood, pumping out a respectable 280 horsepower and 306 lb.-ft. of torque. While European models will be offered with a manual transmission, the only gearbox we can choose is an eight-speed automatic. That being said, it doesn’t disappoint in terms of performance – the base Giulia sprints from a standstill to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds before topping out at 240 km/h. All-wheel drive is available – we do live in Canada, after all – for another $2,000.

Despite the Giulia’s seemingly higher starting price, it does come with a decent list of standard features, including heated leather seats and a heated steering wheel, bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, LED tail lights, a 6.5-inch infotainment system with GPS navigation and a seven-inch TFT display between the gauges, plus a backup camera and rear parking sensors.

Of course, that’s not the only way to spec the Giulia of your dreams. Stepping up to the $50,995 Giulia Ti adds 18-inch wheels, wood interior accents and a larger 8.8-inch display for the infotainment system, plus satellite radio and front parking sensors. The mechanicals between the base Giulia and the Ti remain identical – and yes, all-wheel drive is a $2,000 option on the Ti.

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia

Handout, Alfa Romeo

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia

Handout, Alfa Romeo

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia

Handout, Alfa Romeo

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia

Handout, Alfa Romeo

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti

Handout, Alfa Romeo

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti

Handout, Alfa Romeo

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti

Handout, Alfa Romeo

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti

Handout, Alfa Romeo

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti

Handout, Alfa Romeo

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti

Handout, Alfa Romeo

Speaking of the Ti’s options, it’s available with two packages. The $2,500 Sport package adds 19-inch wheels, blacked-out window trim and colour-coded brake calipers, plus a few performance oriented interior bits, such as power-adjustable sport seats and a thicker steering wheel with a couple of nifty aluminum paddle shifters on either side.

An extra $3,250 gets you the Lusso package, which includes upgraded “Pieno Fiore” leather seats, leather on the dashboard and doors, plus a couple of wood trim options. Given the equipment overlap, we wouldn’t imagine you’ll be able to spec both the Sport and Lusso packages at the same time, but that remains to be seen.

Last but certainly not least, the full-tilt Quadrifoglio completes the Giulia lineup. You know the deal – a seemingly steep $87,995 gets you a Ferrari-designed 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, pumping out 505 horsepower and 443 lb.-ft. of torque. That’s paired to an eight-speed automatic and (you guessed it!) an optional all-wheel-drive system. Staggered 19-inch wheels, sticky Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires, Brembo brakes, adjustable suspension and a bunch of carbon fibre bits on the exterior, to name just a few of the enhancements, are included.

Acura’s popular compact crossover, the RDX, was extensively reworked and restyled for 2016, with minimal updates for the 2017 model year. Not only is the look crisper from all angles, it benefits from the inclusion of “Jewel Eye” LED projector headlamps and LED taillights; both facets add more sophistication to the look. Inside, the materials are very nice and the layout is functional, albeit festooned with buttons on the steering wheel and centre console. The Technology package brings a wealth of equipment including a navigation system, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, heated rear seats, rain-sensing wipers and an up-level audio package. Space-wise, the five-seat RDX offers decent rear seat space and 739 litres with the 60/40-split folding seats upright and 2,178L with them folded flat.

The RDX features a 3.5-litre V6 engine with variable cylinder management. It produces 279 horsepower and 252 lb.-ft. and proved to be flexible over a broad range. The cylinder deactivation system can shut down two of the six cylinders to conserve fuel whenever the loads are light. It works with a six-speed automatic that drives the rear wheels through an all-wheel-drive system that has been tweaked to deliver more torque to the rear. Other dynamic improvements include a revised steering setup for better feel and a tweaked suspension that sharpens the handling while delivering a more comfortable ride.

The Acura RDX AWD Technology carries a pre-tax price of $43,963 after a total Unhaggle discount of $3,412.

2017 BMW X1 xDrive28i

As with the Acura RDX, the BMW iDrive28i was completely reworked for 2016 and carries forward mostly unchanged for the 2017 model year. Key among the upgrades was an increase in interior space; prior to this, it was knocked for its tight rear seat space and cargo capacity. That is no longer an issue. Up front, there’s plenty of headroom (thanks to the taller roofline) and legroom, two very comfortable seats and the toys one expects of a higher-end entrant, although getting things like the latest safety technologies, park assist and navigation require adding packages. Move rearward and there is now decent rear seat legroom and plenty of cargo capacity — 505 litres with the split-folding seats up and 1,550L with them folded flat.

The X1 arrives with one engine — a 2.0-litre inline-four rated at 228 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission then drives all four wheels. This raises the other significant change: The X1 now shares its platform with the Mini Cooper family, however, this is not such a bad thing as xDrive masks the front-drive bias very well. When the driving gets quick, it can send as much torque as needed to the front or rear axle, which helps to control unwanted understeer and oversteer. It also includes hill descent control and arrives with a compliant suspension that balances the handling with ride considerations and a fast, responsive steering setup.

The BMW X1 xDrive28i comes with an Unhaggle discount of $1,750 and a pre-tax sticker of $40,035.

The Volvo XC60 is marked by its interior execution — outside it looks like a Volvo, albeit a much more attractive take on the company’s past design. The rich materials, level of content and two of the most comfortable seats in the business bring a cosseting up-front experience and excellent long-distance cruising. The Sensus Connect infotainment system uses a seven-inch central display to give access to in-car apps for entertainment, navigation, car and connectivity options; it is well sorted and easy to use. Slide rearward and, again, the seat comfort is a step above the norm, and there is plenty of head- and legroom along with 495 litres of cargo area with the seats up and 1,455L when folded flat.

In a curious move, the XC60 arrives with Volvo’s all-encompassing City Safe technology, yet blind spot monitoring and front/rear park assist are bundled in a $1,000 package. That aside, City Safe leads the way, watching for stopped or slower vehicles as well as pedestrians and cyclists. It brakes automatically to help avoid a collision if the driver takes no evasive action.

The XC60 T6 arrives with a 2.0L turbocharged and supercharged inline-four, which puts out a healthy 302 horsepower and, more importantly, 295 lb.-ft. of torque at a low 2,100 rpm. The use of both charging methods means there is a very strong mid-range and no lag off the line. It is matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a good all-wheel drive system. The latter transfers the power around in a seamless and fast fashion that remains invisible to the driver. Throw in a responsive steering setup and a suspension that limits body roll without sacrificing comfort, and it’s surprisingly athletic.

The Volvo XC60 T6 Drive-E AWD Premier has a generous $7,000 discount, with a pre-tax price of $45,335.

The Acura RD-X is rated “good” in all crash tests and earns a Top Safety Pick+ thanks to its “superior” rating for forward collision prevention technology. The Volvo XC60 gets exactly the same ratings. The BMW X1 is, again, the same in all disciplines, but earns an “advanced” (better) rating for forward collision prevention; however, it scores a “marginal” for headlight performance. There are no recalls for these three 2017 crossovers.

The anticipated resale value in 2021 after being driven 20,000 km/year is $17,730 for the Acura RD-X AWD Technology, $13,550 for the BMW X1 xDrive28i and $15,450 for the Volvo XC60 T6 Drive-E AWD.

These three near-luxury crossovers cater to both the driver and family equally well. The Acura carries a strong resale value, but is the thirstiest with an average fuel economy of 10.7 L/100 km. The BMW X1 has the best driving dynamics and the best average fuel economy at 9.1 L/100 km. This leaves the Volvo XC60 as this week’s hot Unhaggle deal. It has the largest discount, a solid resale value and it slides between the other two crossovers with a rating of 10.1 L/100 km, and this in spite of being the most powerful by a wide margin. It goes to prove that force-feeding a smaller displacement engine sets a new fuel economy standard.

*Manufacturer incentive displayed is for cash purchases and may differ if leasing or financing. For more information on purchasing any of these vehicles or others, please visit Unhaggle.com. While data is accurate at time of publication, pricing and incentives may be updated or discontinued by individual dealers or manufacturers at any time. Typically, manufacturer incentives expire at the end of every month. Vehicle availability is also subject to change based on market conditions. Unhaggle Savings is a proprietary estimate of expected discount in addition to manufacturer incentive based on actual savings by Unhaggle customers. Taxes are extra and vary by province.

]]>http://driving.ca/volvo/xc60/auto-news/news/unhaggle-entry-level-luxury-crossovers-december-discount-pricing/feed/0unhaggle-dec-9fletchergraeme2017 Acura RDX2016 BMW X12017 Volvo XC60Is your toy in storage? RaceSim1 offers digital driving year-roundhttp://driving.ca/auto-news/entertainment/is-your-toy-in-storage-racesim1-offers-digital-driving-year-round/http://driving.ca/auto-news/entertainment/is-your-toy-in-storage-racesim1-offers-digital-driving-year-round/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 11:00:38 +0000http://driving.ca/?p=276783]]>Our David Booth once tried the best racing simulator money can buy and found it lacking. He is also one of very few people in the world to fly around the world and drive supercars for a living, but for you and I, racing simulators and video games offer an affordable way to live our dreams around our favorite racetracks. But there was always an issue.

Playing with a controller is hardly the same as driving a real car, and clamping a steering wheel to a TV dinner table is a wobbly mess. If you have a custom-built video game “cockpit,” you have a perfect digital driving experience in your basement but likely no one to share it with.

Each console features surround sound and an adjustable racing seat

RaceSim1 was started by Maxime Jacques to bring the fun of “sim racing” into a social environment. Inside the newly refinished subterranean location in Toronto sit five identical consoles. Each one features a conventional steering wheel, pedal assembly with clutch and a real racing seat. Shifting can be done with paddle-shifters or with a conventional clutch and H-pattern shifter. Furthering the immersive driving experience is a five-point surround sound system with a subwoofer. Jacques says his business is essentially the only one of its kind in Ontario.

The consoles each have 49-inch TV screens paired to Xbox One consoles. You can load up Forza Motorsport 6 or Project CARS – the former has a richer car selection, while the latter focuses on delivering a ruthlessly accurate driving experience, proving video games have come a long way since I played Gran Turismo 4 as a kid. In Project CARS, you can even hear individual wheels kicking up rocks at the apex of a turn, straight-cut gears whine on the over-run and race tires even need to be warmed up on your first lap.

Maxime says his customers range from pro-racing drivers looking to shave a few tenths off lap times, to casual players just looking to race with friends. If you’re in the Toronto area, this spot is definitely worth checking out. (Located at 693 Bloor St. W; reservations can be made online)

The consoles can run Forza Motorsport 6 or Project CARS.

]]>http://driving.ca/auto-news/entertainment/is-your-toy-in-storage-racesim1-offers-digital-driving-year-round/feed/0RaceSim1mrclaytonseamsRaceSim1RaceSim1Motor Mouth: A Trump card for the Big Three?http://driving.ca/auto-news/news/motor-mouth-a-trump-card-for-the-big-three/http://driving.ca/auto-news/news/motor-mouth-a-trump-card-for-the-big-three/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 11:00:27 +0000http://driving.ca/?p=277446]]>The Twitterverse is in full Trumpian dudgeon again. Did he — or did he not — save a whole bunch of air conditioner manufacturing jobs in Indiana that were about to flee for job-sucking Mexico? Did he — and, this time, it seems like he did — really threaten Boeing with a morale-sapping, if not quite existential, ultimatum regarding the U.S. government’s procurement of new Air Force Ones? And is Softbank’s promise of a US$50-billion/50,000 job investment real or just another half-baked stunt from the publicity-seeking tycoon?

More importantly – at least to this automotive columnist – where does this leave the automobile industry? After eight years of an anti-internal combustion, anti-fossil fuel agenda, what changes can we expect in governmental regulation from the supposedly pro-car, pro-oil Republican Party? More specifically, once we get past some of the truly over-the-top rhetoric – I’ve heard normally rational auto scribes posit that he’s somehow going to take all the airbags out of cars – what does a Donald J. Trump presidency mean for the cars we’ll drive in the near- to long-term future?

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Well, the most immediate and dramatic effect will almost assuredly be Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Signed in 2011 to much fanfare (if you’re an environmentalist) or grumbling (if you’re an automaker), it basically set 54.5-mile-per-U.S.-gallon as a target for the U.S.’s entire passenger vehicle fleet by 2025. Specific groups of vehicles – demarcated by their size or “footprint” – have to improve their year-over-year fuel economy ratings by a specific amount, and “credits” are handed out for incorporating new, emissions-reducing technology – everything from full-on electric cars to the simple stop/start functions many vehicles now employ to shut down their engines at stoplights – that supposedly reduce fuel consumption.

What makes Trump’s ascendance so contentious is that his election coincides with the American Environmental Protection Agency’s planned mid-term review of CAFE regulations. Originally ordained to evaluate a) whether the progress in the first years of the plan met projections, and b) whether the implementation moving forward to 2025 – more ambitious than the first half – is realistic. As with most such mid-term assessments – and since pretty much everyone assumed there’d be another Democrat in the Oval Office – this was thought to be a rubber-stamped review.

Post November 8th, not so much. Indeed, so fearful are the environmentally conscious that the EPA rushed the mid-term appraisal through eight months earlier than proposed, no less an authority than Automotive News noting that the EPA is trying to “limit the options for the incoming administration of Donald Trump to reconcile the rules with his deregulatory campaign rhetoric” and “prevent the incoming Trump administration from undermining a signature piece of Obama’s environmental legacy.”

That fear is legitimate. The Republicans have campaigned on an overall reduction in regulation as well as a pro-automobile agenda, and do now hold power in the Congress, Senate and, soon enough, the Oval Office. Combined with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers’ recent position calling for a complete rethink of the fuel economy regulations going forward, environmentalists, long accustomed to holding sway in the political forum, are feeling threatened.

Hyperbole aside, however, what changes in the automotive landscape can we expect under a Trump administration?

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First, a caveat: Predicting The Donald’s behaviour is a little like trying to divine what your chihuahua is going to bark at next. Nonetheless, I suspect that his handling of this fuel economy question is going to set the tone for the next four years of his administration, and not just the automotive industry.

For instance, Ford has already been singled out by a then-campaigning Mr. Trump for its plans to move production of its Focus to Mexico. Since the election, its CEO, Mark Fields, has reached out to the president-elect asking for concessions on the number of electric vehicles it must produce. It doesn’t take much of a crystal ball to predict a prospective deal that would see Focus production remaining in the good, old U.S. of A in return for some EPA compromise. More interesting – at least to Yours Truly – than whether small car production remains in Michigan is exactly what concessions the EPA, under a Trump-appointed director, proposes. The CAFE standards are incredibly complex and cutting them effectively will require a scalpel, not a broadsword. Will we be subjected to yet more of the campaign’s boastful bravado and indiscriminate twittering, or will we finally see the finely filtered brokering commensurate with Trump’s role as America’s first negotiator-in-chief?

For instance, if he gets a promise of auto manufacturing jobs remaining in the U.S. for relatively little compromise – say, a boost in various technology credits and a reduction in the production of electric vehicles consumers don’t want anyway – then perhaps Mr. Trump is not Back to the Future’s Biff in long pants. If however, the EPA, under Mr. Trump’s proposed new director – former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt – removes the mandate for actual fuel economy improvements just so Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler can build even bigger pickups, then the next four years will see an ever-escalating return to the gas guzzlers of yore.

And here’s one last conspiracy theory to throw on the barbie. Mr. Trump famously believes that climate change — depending on the tweet — is the work of the devil or the Chinese. Mr. Pruitt is pro-fossil fuel and not afraid of confrontation. Could we see a denouement between the national governing body and the omnipresent California Air Resources Board? Indeed, in recent years, it has been CARB that has led the anti-internal-combustion movement, with the national organization following suit.

Could the appointment of Mr. Pruitt see some form of pushback? Difficult as it may be, reining in CARB might be a judicious way for Mr. Trump to promote a pro-business, pro-car, pro-fossil-fuel agenda. Nine other states have adopted CARB’s unrealistic projections and, closer to home, Quebec has foolishly followed suit, recently passing an impractical law that requires 15.5 per cent of all the vehicles manufacturers sell in La Belle Province to be zero emissions by 2025 (CARB has had to back off its ZEV projections at least five times; there’s no reason to believe Quebec won’t have to as well).

Wouldn’t it be nice, then, if some of these regulators were, uhm, convinced to promote more realistic emissions-reducing agendas? If Mr. Trump were to succeed in that, then perhaps his presidency won’t be the disaster so much of the media is prophesizing. I’m not holding my breath, but even in the darkest of times, hope always springs eternal.

]]>http://driving.ca/auto-news/news/motor-mouth-a-trump-card-for-the-big-three/feed/0TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-TRUMPmotocanadaReader Review: 2017 Toyota Camry XSE V6http://driving.ca/toyota/camry/reviews/road-test/reader-review-2017-toyota-camry-xse-v6/http://driving.ca/toyota/camry/reviews/road-test/reader-review-2017-toyota-camry-xse-v6/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 11:00:21 +0000http://driving.ca/?p=276849]]>CALGARY — A dyed-in-the-wool General Motors man, Randy Farkas had never spent quality time behind the wheel of a Toyota. That changed when he put a 2017 Toyota Camry XSE V6 through its paces for our Reader Review program.

“To be honest, I’ve never really driven a Toyota,” Farkas says. “I do know Toyota’s reputation, and I was looking forward to an extended drive in one.”

Available in several different models, the 2017 Camry comes in LE, SE, XLE and XSE trims, all powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine. Meanwhile, there are two Camry models featuring a 3.5L V6, in XLE and XSE trim, as well as three hybrid versions. On SE and XSE models, whether hybrid or not, the Camry features sport-tuned suspension that provides a crisper ride and a more dynamic driving experience. An all-new 2018 model-year Camry is set to debut early in 2017, and rumour has it this is the last year for the V6 engine.

“My first impression was the Camry doesn’t necessarily look like a family car; it’s got a low-slung attitude with some sporty overall lines,” Farkas said of the $37,568.47 XSE V6 model he drove. That price includes the pre-delivery inspection, but not taxes. There were no options on the car, apart from the $255 ruby flare pearl paint; and that’s something that caught his attention.

“The paint was just gorgeous; it comes alive in the daylight,” Farkas says.

Farkas learned to drive on the backcountry roads around his Whitewood, Saskatchewan, hometown. His first car was a 1955 Chevrolet sedan that was handed down from his brother. Since that Chev, Farkas has owned almost nothing but products from General Motors, including a 1968 Camaro SS and 1969 Corvette.

Right now, his daily driver is a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix with a V6 engine, and he’s got a 1955 Chevrolet hot rod as a summer toy. He needs a reliable vehicle that he can add highway miles to, as the family of four (wife Joan, daughter Madison and son Jacob, his two adult children) often travels from Calgary to Saskatchewan and northern Alberta to visit relatives.

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“When I first sat in the car, it’s like it just wrapped itself around me,” Farkas, who is 5 feet 10 inches tall, says. “Whoever drove it before me had it set up much the same way I would have, and there wasn’t much need to adjust anything.”

Fit and finish was above standard, and Farkas liked the black leather-trimmed seats with cloth inserts all sewn together with red contrast stitching.

“The instruments were nicely laid out, and there was an electronic display plus analogue gauges with a tachometer and speedometer,” Farkas says. “Everything about the car was intuitive to operate, including the heating and cooling system with its large knobs to adjust temperature and fan speed.”

Farkas likes a sunroof in his vehicle, but he says the glass panel in the Camry, for him, was a bit small. With the roof open, he says there was little wind noise or buffeting in the cabin.

“My son is six-foot one, and he couldn’t sit up straight in the passenger side rear seat – he was a little short on headroom but he was comfortable nonetheless,” Farkas says. The Camry remained composed on the highway when Farkas drove the family to Canmore, and during the trip the cabin was quiet and cocoon-like.

“There was a lot of technology in this car,” Farkas says. “And the radar assisted cruise control is set it and forget it simplicity. I’ve never had a car with that kind of cruise control before, but I really enjoyed it and it made the drive much more pleasant.” The other bit of technology Farkas liked was the blind spot warning system.

“I found the sideview mirrors a little small, and the blind spot warning system helped make up for that deficiency,” he says.

Toyota’s V6 engine offered plenty of performance, and Farkas enjoyed shifting the six-speed automatic transmission using the manual shift lever; something he did approximately 80 per cent of the time he drove it.

“I was very pleased with the power, there was lots of jump at low revs with good throttle response, and the manual shift feature made it fun to drive and made me feel more involved with the car,” he says. The car handled solidly with no body roll in corners. Steering inputs were met with satisfactory responses and the ride was “eight or more hours a day behind the wheel” comfortable.

Overall utility was given a good rating by Farkas. The trunk was large and roomy with a low lift-over height, and there were plenty of smaller storage spots inside the car.

“I think the Camry would suit a wide range of people, including someone with a family who also likes something with a bit of performance. It was really a fun car to drive and I always looked forward to the corners,” Farkas says, and concludes, “I’d not be embarrassed to drive that car anywhere; first lottery win I get, I’m buying one.”

DRIVER’S JOURNAL

Day One: Pick up the car in the early evening and drive it home with one stop on the way. The car has a fair bit of power for passing on the highway. Really like the auto dimming headlights and rear view mirror feature.

Day Two: Not able to go for a drive until the evening, and go down Deerfoot Trail and into the Glenmore Trail area. The lumbar support is adjustable and I do change it around a bit from time to time. I play with the sound system and find a good hard rock station. Start playing with the six-speed transmission. I really enjoy driving with the “slap stick” shifter as it adds a lot of fun to the drive. Find out about the “lane drift” feature. The first car I have driven with it and I quite like it. I bring in the owner’s manual and give it a good read to figure out some of the features that the car has.

Day Three: We take a family drive to do some hiking at Grassi Lakes by Canmore. There are four of us in the car and it is quite comfortable for all. Realize that the cruise has a radar assist feature, and I quickly find out that this is one of my favourite features. In heavy traffic the car slows itself down or up to match the flow of the other cars. If you are behind a slower vehicle you pull out and it goes back up to your set speed. I really love this and it helps make a busy drive so much more enjoyable. No more hitting the brakes and resetting the cruise multiple times. The car is a joy to drive on the highway. I am very impressed with the car’s capabilities.

Day Four: Don’t get to drive much today, but did go watch the U of C Dinos win a football game. Really notice how quiet the cabin of the car is. Roll up the windows, turn the stereo up a bit and the outside world and all its noise disappears.

Day Five: Don’t go driving until the evening for some errands. I find that I quite look forward to these drives so decide to take the long way around. Spend about an hour and a half on some moonlit highways. The cruise control is almost a must-have on the drive, as it is very easy to let the speed drift up without really noticing. I am disappointed when it is time to go home. I wish I had somewhere to be as it is one of those times I could have driven all night.

Day Six: Out to run some errands around town during the day, and head out to Cross Iron Mills on a busy highway. Love the radar assist cruise control. This has become a must-have feature and it will be hard to go back to a car without it.

Day Seven: I got to check out the braking on the car when someone decided to run a stop sign in front of me — the brakes work good. Drive to a meeting, and wash and vacuum the car. Really enjoy my last drive in the Camry as it goes back to its rightful owner.

Details are scarce, but Lexus confirmed the new LS sedan will be underpinned by a new, modular platform architecture for the company’s luxury vehicles, known as the GA-L platform in Lexus-speak. This platform also appears under the skin of the stunning LC 500 sports coupe, though it will be lengthened to accomodate the LS’ increased proportions.

Lexus didn’t dish any details over the LS’ powertrain options, but given its close relationship with the LC 500, we can no doubt expect the automaker’s 5.0-litre V8 under the hood. In the LC 500, the normally aspirated V8 pumps out 471 horsepower and 398 lb.-ft. of torque. A hybrid powertrain, similar to the LC 500h, is also a possibility.

Germany’s Transport Ministry and Federal Motor Transport Authority are examining whether Porsche installed devices allowing its cars to sense whether they were being tested for fuel consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions, representatives at both agencies said on Thursday. That type of technology can be used to falsify results by making cars appear more energy efficient during tests.

Porsche rejected allegations that its cars manipulate test results, a spokesman said by phone, adding that the automaker is cooperating fully with the authorities on the investigation.

Volkswagen has so far set aside US$19.7 billion for fines and related expenses after acknowledging last year that it rigged 11 million diesel vehicles to cheat on emissions tests. The revelations have increased scrutiny of auto emissions with regulators around the world stepping up investigations.

German magazine WirtschaftsWoche reported earlier that unidentified people close to Porsche tipped off the Transportation Ministry to the alleged cheating. According to the report, some Porsche cars can detect whether they’re on a test bed based on the lack of steering wheel movement during operation. German authorities started a similar investigation targeting Audi.

Porsche said technology that allows its cars to sense steering movements are used to improve the car’s performance when driving and are not related to emissions testing.

]]>http://driving.ca/porsche/auto-news/news/germany-expands-fuel-economy-investigation-to-porsche/feed/02017 Porsche 911 Turbobloomberg105First Drive: 2018 Lexus LC 500http://driving.ca/lexus/lf-lc/reviews/road-test/first-drive-2018-lexus-lc500/http://driving.ca/lexus/lf-lc/reviews/road-test/first-drive-2018-lexus-lc500/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 16:00:24 +0000http://driving.ca/?p=276923]]>SEVILLE, Spain – This is not going to be an even-handed evaluation. There will be no independent adjudication of performance. There will be little of the dispassionate dissection of handling versus comfort that people seek out Driving for. And I will attempt no analysis of equipment versus price. In fact, I don’t even know the price. Nor do I care. NosireeBob, none of that detached, disinterested objectivity for me because …

I’m a fan boy. A totally committed, don’t-argue-with-me-cause-I-don’t-wanna-hear-it fan boy. I love the LC. As in, I think it’s absolutely gorgeous, the most beautiful thing on four wheels I’ve seen in the last 10 years. I don’t care if it’s a Lexus. I don’t care that you think I am a traitor to all things Ferrari or Aston Martin or whatever storied marque you’re a brand slave to. I think the LC 500 is the bee’s knees, Scarlett Johansson on wheels, a wet dream with 337.8-millimetre disc brakes. I’ve thought so since Lexus first introduced the LF-LC as a concept in 2012, and nothing I’ve seen since has changed my mind.

That might be because nothing has seemingly changed since 2012. Concepts, as seductive as they may be, seldom make it to production, manufacturers always feeling the need for “practicality.” The fact that we’re talking about Lexus, the very epitome of conservative — that should read boring — made the production of anything remotely as sexy as the LF-LC extremely unlikely.

And yet, here we are, the new-for-2018 LC 500 a virtual clone of the 2012 concept, its shape identical save for a slight increase in height and reduction in width. So, yes, you could park this in my driveway and I wouldn’t even care if the heater didn’t work.

Thankfully, the LC needs no such apology. Indeed, take the engines; the basic LC 500 is powered by a V8. Not one of those mamby-pamby, downsized-for-fuel-economy turbocharged V8s that all the Europeans have introduced because their diesels are soon to be verboten, but a truly sporting, I-can’t-wait-till-the-revs-get-past-4,000, naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8. No, it doesn’t have quite the torque of a Mercedes SL550 — 398 lb.-ft. at 4,800 rpm versus the Merc’s monstrous 516 lb.-ft. at 1,800 rpm — but it revs like a banshee and takes but 4.4 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph (96 km/h).

The reason Lexus is bucking the trend to turbocharging, says chief engineer Koji Sato, is so its latest super coupe can sound like an escapee from the Targa Florio. It screams like a high-revving gem, the big Lexi pulling hard all the way to its 7,100 rpm cut-off point; compare that with Mercedes and BMW turbos that run out of puff by 5,500.

And the hybrid, the LC 500h, is almost as competent. Starting with a GS 350h powertrain — a 3.5-litre V6 and electric motor combined — the LC 500h is a further development of Toyota’s hybrid strategy. There’s more power — 359 net horsepower — but Lexus has also added a new MG2 electric motor. In the fuel economy department, Lexus Canada will currently only describe the 500h’s consumption (it’s still waiting for official certification) as better than 30 U.S. miles per gallon; that translates into 7.8 L/100 km. Considering that Lexus also claims the 500h can accelerate to 96 km/h in just 4.7 seconds and we observed a highway fuel economy of about 7.2 L/100 km, that’s quite a balance of performance and economy.

Not everything is perfect in the powertrain department, however. Indeed, the transmissions — a new 10-speed Aisin affair in the LC 500 and an incredibly complicated planetary gearset with an additional “multi-stage shift device” in the 500h — proved the weak point of the LC experience.

But for opposite reasons. The 500’s 10-speed Aisin, for instance, was phenomenally well-calibrated for use at the Circuito Monteblanco, all rapid-fire downshifts and delayed upshifts that let the high-revving double overhead cam V8 sing. But on the road — even those twisty routes with the bit between your teeth — it can be too aggressive, the double-tap on every downshift too abrupt for what is, after all, a gran turismo. And the damned thing held onto every gear too long; it’s almost as if the LC 500’s engineers were over-compensating for the slow-to-shift transmissions of Lexuses past.

The 500h’s transmission is the opposite. Confused on the track, the h’s combination of planetary gears and four-speed “overdrive” was perfect for a twisty road in D-for-Drive mode. The shifts were crisp without being overwrought and it kept the revs in the meat of the Hybrid Synergy Drive’s powerband. The perfect LC would be a mating of the 500’s motor and the h’s gear selection.

There’s little negative to be said about the LC 500’s chassis. An amalgam of ordinary steel, high-strength steel, aluminum and carbon fibre, the LC’s framework may well weigh too much — the 500 weighs 1,935 kilos and the hybrid version weighs 1,985 kg. — but it is stiff as all get out. Combined with a new independent suspension system — said to be 24 per cent stiffer in camber — the LC handles a treat, even hooning about on a wet, twisty Spanish racetrack. Here, the 500, and its high-revving 471 horsepower, excels. The LC 500 may not be a 911 GT3, but neither is it the tottering Lexuses of yore.

And there’s good news for the environmentally conscious as well. Other than being 50 kilos heavier than the 500, the hybrid’s frame, suspension damping and tire selection are all identical to the supposedly racier V8. Even the brakes are up to the task. Lexus also claims that the h can reach 140 km/h on electric power alone, though with only a 1.1 kilowatt-hour battery, it’s doubtful it could maintain that high-speed emissions-free motoring for more than a couple of kilometres.

As for the interior, it may not be as gorgeous as the exterior, but it’s not too shabby at all. There’s Alcantara leather on the inside of the doors, soft-touch leather all over the dashboard and the gauge set is an LFA clone, right down to the sliding tachometer ring that moves left or right depending on the drive mode. It’s very attractive.

The downside is an infotainment system — Lexus calls it Remote Touch Interface — that is extremely hard to decipher. I defy anyone to calibrate the tripmeter for the average fuel economy without the help of Bill Gates. And pairing the phone isn’t done in the “Phone” section of the interface, but somewhere deep in the “Settings” section. Silly, stupid and unnecessarily complicated.

That said, I don’t care. I would love to wake up to this car every morning. I can easily make excuses for its slightly wonky transmission and more seriously troubled infotainment system. It is, after all, beautiful and, as Oscar Wilde once intoned, “Beauty is a form of genius. It needs no explanation. It cannot be questioned. It makes princes of those who have it.”

LC 500s and LC 500hs will be in Lexus dealerships this spring. As for price, that’s currently anyone’s guess. Prices close to BMW’s 650i and Mercedes-Benz S550 have been quoted as “targets.” That means the base price of the 500 could be anywhere from $100,000 to $150,000. We don’t even know which model — the rorty V8 or the frugal hybrid — will be the top-of-the-line version. Stay tuned for more information.